It is common to drill an oil or gas well bore into and through several different zones, where the zones are generally layered horizontally. I such cases, its typical to isolate each zone from the zones above and below it by installing a packer in the well bore between the zones, surrounding a tubular element, such as a production tubing, which is used to access the various zones. Known systems for achieving this isolation commonly use inflatable packers that are filled with various fluids or cement, or mechanically expandable packers. These types of packers can be expansive and setting them in place can be complicated since electrical, hydraulic or mechanical systems are usually required for the setting operation. Other types of packer systems are also used that usually not require any additional setting operation. These systems typically consist of either swell-able elastomeric packers that react and swell when in contact with hydrocarbons, or by elastomeric cup-packers that are mounted to the tubing. Both these type of packers have their limitations when it comes to high temperature applications due to the material characteristics in the elastomers used.
Consequently, there is a need for a packer device that can be easily installed, withstand high temperatures, mechanical strain, wear and erosion and that can be manufactured and installed at a low or reasonable cost.